Apparatus for cleaning boiler tubes



Aug. 26, 1930. A. .-w.Ls-' 1 113,801

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING BOILER TUBES Filed Nov. 9, 1927 Z Sheets-Sheet 1' A. M. WILSON 1,773,801

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING BOILER TUBES I Filed Nov. 9, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet- 2 H s, S j 1 N Q: q N U i Qfiwagzor Patented Aug. 26 1930 I PATENT OFFICE ALLAN MURRAY WILSON, OI GLASGOW, SCOTLAND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING BOILER TUBES Application fled Inquirer-9,192 7, Serial Io. 888,040, and in Great Britain December 28, 1928.

My invention relates to a boiler tube cleaning a paratus of the type comprising a nozzle a apted to be moved from an inoperative position in which it is screened 'from the hot a furnace gases into an operative position within the combustion chamber orfirebox in which it can be moved angularly so as to direct av to be suitable). This arrangement is necessitated owing to the rapid decrease in the velocity of the steam after issuing from the nozzle. Were theapparatus so arranged as to project from the cab through the rear wall of the fire-box, the velocity of the steam would be comparatively low when it impinged on the tube plate andwould not be as effective in the removal of soot as might be desired. With the tube cleaning apparatus arranged at the sides of the locomotive, however, it is necessary at present for the firemanto ass along the foot plates in order to operate both sets of apparatus.

The object of the present invention is to provide a tube cleaning apparatus which will be of improved construction and operation and which. will be adaptable for convenient operation from a place remote from its position of attachment to the boiler.

. ing description.

The invention is exemplified in the combination and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification, and it is more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Other objects will appear from the follow- 1 is a horiz'ontalhalf-section of the firebox of a locomotive showing also part of the boiler and of the cab.

Fi 2 is a part section part elevation of a tu e cleaner according to the invention,

showing the steam nozzle in operative poSition.

F15. 3 is a part section part plan correspon ing to Fig. 2 but showing the nozzle in inoperative position.

Fi 4 is a section,'taken on the line IVIV' of Fig. 2 and drawn to a larger scale, of parts hereinafter referred to. t

Fig. 5 is a detail view of an automatic drain valve, hereinafter described.

Referring to Fig. 1' of the drawings, a boiler tube cleaner is therein shown secured to the shell 1 of a locomotive boiler at theright-hand side thereof. The cleaner passes through the water space 2 by way of an opening afforded by a tube ,3 fitted between. the shell 1 and the lateral wall 4 of the firebox.

The cleaner is adapted to be operated from the cab 5 of the locomotive by means hereinafter described including a hand-wheel 6 and an extension rod 7. The rear tube plate of the locomotive boiler is indicated by the numeral 8.

It will be understood that the locomotive, in so far as the incorporation therein of this invention is concerned, is. symmetrical about its central line AA, that is to say, another tube cleaner and its associated arts will be provided at the left hand side 0 the loeomotive.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, the cleaner comprises a nozzle 9 of known construction carried at one end of a tube 10 secured at its other end to a tubular member .11. The tube 10 is formed with steam ports 12. Steam ports 13 are also formed in a stationary sleeve'14 within which the tube 10 is slidably and turnably mounted, the sleeve 14 being fitted within a casing 15. A branch 15" on the.casing 15 is adapted to be connected to a steam supply pipe (not shown). The ports 13 open into an annular passage 16 between the sleeve 14 and the tube 10, and when the ports 12 register with the passage 16 steam will pass through the tube 10 to the nozzle 9. The tube 10 is substantially steam ti ht within the sleeve 14, for this purpose being fitted with piston rings 17 at one end and formed with grooves 17 near the other. Packing18 is interposed between the member 11 and the sleeve 14.

The tubular member 11 carries rigidly at its end remote from the tube a nut 19 fitted with a pair of diametrally opposed studs 20, which act as followers to a pair of cam grooves 21', 21", formed in a stationary housing 22, secured to the sleeve 14. An axially stationary screw-threaded spindle 23 is journalled within the housing 22, the spindle 23 being screw-threaded through the nut 19. The spindle 23 has secured to it a spiral gear-wheel 24 located partly within the hous ing 22 and meshing with another spiral gearwheel 25 on a spindle 26 which is journalled in a bracket 27 on the housing 22. The spindle 26 has a polygonal head 28 adapted for engagement by a socket 28' formed on the end of the rod 7 remote from the handwheel 6.

A nut or collar 29 or 30 is provided at each end of the spindle 23 and serves to take the axial thrust thereon of the gearwheels 24, 25 in either direction.

The sleeve 14 is secured to the casing 15 by means of set-screws 14, removal of which a lows the sleeve 14 and associated parts, including the nozzle 9, to be withdrawn for inspection, cleaning or repair.

Each cam-groove 21', 21" is shaped with a straight portion 21' and with an inclined portion 21", so that should the studs 20 be caused to move along the straight portions 21, the tubular member 11, the tube 10 and the nozzle 9 will be moved axially without having im-- parted to them angular movement about their common axis, but should the studs 20 be caused to move along the inclined portions 21", the member 11, tube 10 and nozzle 9 will move angularly as well as axially.

When the tube cleaner is not in use, it occupies the position shown in Fig. 3, in which the nozzle 9 is located within the tube 3, out of the zone of the heat within the firebox. In order to bring the nozzle into position for use, the hand-wheel 6 is rotated. The rotation of the handwheel 6 is transmitted to the screw-threaded spindle 23 through the intermediary of the spiral gear-wheels 24, 25. As a result, the nut 19 moves along the screwthread of the spindle 23 and carries with it the tubular member 11, the tube 10 and the nozzle 9, which latter is moved out of the tube 3 into the firebox. When the studs 20 reach the inclined portions 21", the nozzle 9 will be clear of the tube 3 and-the ports 12 will have moved into register with the annular passage 16 so that steam will pass from the nozzle and will be directed on to the bot-- tom of the tube plate 8. Continuation of the rotation of the handwheel 6 will cause the studs 20 to traverse the inclined portions 21", whereby the nozzle 9 will be further advanced and at the same time will be moved angularly about the axis of the tube 10 so that the direction of the steam jet will be changed gradually towards the top of the tube plate 8. It will be obvious that by rotating the handwheel 6 to-and-from between the limits defined by the ends of the inclined portions 21", the steam issuing from the nozzle 9 will be swept across the tube plate 8.

The bracket 27 is formed at one end with a boss 27 by means of which it is pivotally mounted on the free end of the housing 22 and is retained thereon by a nut 31. The other end of the bracket is formed as a flange 27 which is shaped to conform with the contour of a facing 32 on the 'housin 22, the facing 32 being curved concentrica ly with the screw-threaded spindle 23 (see Fig. 4). The flange 27" is formed with a slot 33 through which passes a set-pin 34 in screwthreaded engagement with the facing '32. With this arrangement the bracket 27 can be adjusted through a substantial angular range, so that, when erecting the tube cleaner on a locomotive, the extension rod 7 can be led into the cab 5 at a part thereof clear of any doors or fittings. When the bracket 27 is adjusted it will carry with it the spiral gearwheel 25, but the relationship between the two gear-wheels will be in no way afi'ected.

It is highly desirable that the tube cleaner should be effectively drained of water which tends to accumulate owing to condensation of steam. Were such water permitted to accumulate it would be entrained by the steam and deposited on the tube plate and tubes whenever the tube cleaner should be brought into operation. In order to secure effective draining, an automatic drain valve is provided (see Figs. 2 and 5). The seat member 41 of the valve is secured to the casing 15 in register with an aperture 42 in the lowermost part thereof. The valve proper 43 is located above the valve seat 44 presented by the upper face of the member 41, and the valve stem 45 passes downwardly through a guide bush 46 which is formed with holes 47 for discharging to a drain pipe 48 whatever water should happen to pass the valve 43. A bronze spring 49 interposed bet-ween the valve 43 and the bush 46 urges the valve away from its seat, and maintains the valve open so long as the pressure within the casing 15 is below a predetermined limit, say 10 lbs. per square inch. With this arrangement, the valve will be closed while the tube cleaner is in use but will remain open while the cleaner is not in use.

The tube cleaning apparatus has been described as applied to a locomotive boiler simply by way of example, and it will be obvious that the apparatus can be applied to various other types of boilers, such as water tube boilers. Moreover, many modifications may be made without departing from lUO the scope of the invention. For instance,

\ ggering other than spiral gear-wheels may mounted in the casing an adopted, such for. example as worm and worm-wheel gearing. Further, if the location of the apparatus is such as to render it accessible without inconvenience, the gearing may be entirely dispensed with, and a handwheel coupled direc'tl to the free end of the screw-threaded spind e.

I claim a 1. A boiler tube cleaningapparatus of the type set forth comprisin a casing, a nozzle 5 movable relatively thereto, co-operating screw-threaded members carried by the nozzle and the casing respectively, means for turning the screwthreaded member carried by the casing whereby to move the nozzle endwise through the casing into and out of an operative position, and means for restraining the screw-threaded member carried by the nozzle against turningwhile the nozzle is out of the operative position but permitting it toturn while the nozzle is in the operative position whereby the nozzle is moved angularly.

2. A boiler tube cleaning apparatus of the type set forth comprising a casing, a nozzle mounted in the casing and movable relatively thereto, co-operating screw-threaded members carried by the nozzle and the casing, means for turning the screw-threaded member carried by the casing whereby to move the nozzle endwise through the casing into and out of a range of operative positions and cam means co-actmg with the other of said screw-threaded members in such a manner as to impart angular movements to the noza cam-groove with a straight and an inp zle while it is moved endwise within the said range, but to restrain the. nozzle against angularmovement while outside of said range.

3. A boiler tube cleaning, apparatus of thg type set forth comprising a casing having 'clined portion, a nozzle mounted in the casing and movable relatively thereto, a nut memberon the nozzle and provided with a cam-follower engaging with said camroove, a screw 'turnably mounted in the casmg and co-operating with said nut member, and means including gearwheels for turning said screw whereby to move the nozzle endwise, or endwise and angularly, according to whether the cam-follower engages with the straight. portion, or the inclined portion, of the cam' groove.

- 4. A boiler tube cleaning apparatus of the typeset forth comprising a casing provided with steam ports, a tubular'member mounted in the casing so as to be capable of endwise and also turning movements therein, said tubular member having inlet ports which can register with the said steam ports, a steamejection nozzle fitted to the tubular member, manually operable screw-threaded members movably mounted within the casing for moving the nozzleand tubular'member endwise into and out of a range of positions in which the inlet ports register with .the steam ports, and cam means for restraining the nozzle against turning while out of said range and imparting angular movements to the nozzle while it is moved endwise within said range.

5. A boiler tube cleaning apparatus of the type set forth'comprising a casing provided with steam ports and also with a cam-groove having a straight portion and an inclined portion, a tubular member mounted in the casing, said tubular member being capable of angular and longitudinal movements relatively to the casing, inlet portsin said tubular member capable of registering with the said steam ports, a steam-ejector nozzle fitted to the tubular member, a nut member rigidly connected to the tubular member and provided with a cam-follower engaging with said cam-groove, and a manually turnable screw mounted in the casing and co-operating with said nut member, turning of said screw rewhich the inclined portion of the cam-groove imparts an angular movement to the said parts.

6. A boiler tube cleaning apparatus of the type set forth comprisin a casing, a nozzle mounted in the casing and movable relatively thereto, a nut member secured to the nozzle, a screw turnably mounted in the casing and co-operating with the nut member, means for turning the screw, means for restraining the nut member against turning whereby to move the nozzle endwise without turning into and out of arange of operative positions, and cam means acting on the nut-member so as to im+ art angular movements to the nozzle while it is moved endwise within said range.

7. Aboiler tube cleaning apparatus of the type set forth'comprisin a casing, a nozzle mounted in the casing and movable relatively .thereto, a nut member secured to the nozzle, a screw turnably mounted in the casing and co-operating with the nut member, a pair of mtermeshing gear members one of .whiclris on the screw, means for turning the other gear member from a distance, means for restraining the nut member against turning whereby to move the nozzle endwise without turning into and out of a range of operative positions, and cam means acting on the nutmember so as to impart angular movements to the nozzle while it is moved endwise within said range.

' In testimony whereof I allix my signature.

ALLAN MURRAY \VILSON. 

